Read Online The Loyal Servant by Eva Hudson - Free Book Online Page A

managed to manoeuvre the dog to block the journalist’s view. After a few moments crouching on the corner of an unfamiliar street in west London, hiding behind Minty, Caroline began to feel self-conscious and mildly ridiculous.
    When she’d thrown on her coat and grabbed the dog’s lead, making a pilgrimage to visit Martin’s house had somehow seemed the right thing to do. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected to achieve, but at least she’d felt she was doing something, not just sitting at home in a darkened living room driving herself mad. She stroked the dog’s ears.
    ‘What was I thinking, Minty, eh?’ She glanced up at the reporter who seemed to have lost interest in her and was chatting to his photographer friend. ‘What on earth was I thinking?’
    She stood slowly and wriggled her toes, waiting for the feeling to come back in her feet. Her phone started to ring. She quickly silenced the squawking ringtone and turned away from the three men standing outside Martin Fox’s house.
    ‘Caroline, where are you?’ Jean said.
    ‘In the park.’
    ‘Why are you whispering?’ Jean sighed noisily into the phone. ‘Do you want me to make a start on lunch?’
    Caroline glanced at her watch. It was 11.05am. Jean was point making again. One year Caroline fully expected to receive a t-shirt from Jean for Christmas with the words Unfit Mother emblazoned across the chest. She took a deep breath before answering.
    ‘I won’t be much longer. I’ll sort out lunch when I get back. Just leave it – OK?’
    ‘Please yourself.’ She hung up.
    ‘Grandma Henderson is in a strop, Minty.’ The dog looked up at her. ‘What do you say? Shall we stay out all day?’
    Minty pressed a wet nose into Caroline’s hand and wagged her tail. Caroline turned back to the house as a beige saloon pulled up outside. The two raincoats and leather jacket climbed inside and the car accelerated away with a squeal of tyres.
    ‘Come on, girl. This may be our chance.’
    Caroline ventured further up the street, wondering as she went whether Martin might have hidden a set of keys under a doormat by the front step, or beneath a flowerpot in the shrubbery. She stared straight ahead all the way up the road, trying too hard to assume the pose of a casual dog walker. When they drew level, she finally glanced towards the house.
    Her heart sank.
    A uniformed police officer was standing sentry at the front door, arms folded behind his back, feet wide apart.
    ‘Don’t think much of our chances now, Mint.’
    As Caroline continued to look at him, the policeman unfolded his arms and took a step down the path. Immediately Caroline dipped into a pocket of her jacket and pulled out a blue plastic bag. She shoved her hand inside and reached down to the pavement. Minty let out a confused grunt that would have done Scooby Doo proud.
    ‘Sorry girl – just got to look busy.’
    Caroline stood up and nodded towards the police officer before hurrying down the street. She reached the end of the road and shoved the plastic bag back in her pocket, the policeman’s view of her obscured by a tall hedge in the neighbouring garden.
    ‘I think we might be going home.’
    Caroline turned to take one last look at the house just as a black cab pulled up outside. A long-legged woman emerged, dressed from head to toe in black. Untidy blonde locks escaped from the baseball cap pulled low over her forehead. The woman made her way to Martin Fox’s front gate and into the garden. Caroline half jogged, half walked back up the street and reached the house just as the policeman was turning back from the front door, the mystery blonde woman having already disappeared inside.
    ‘Who do you think that is, girl?’
    Martin Fox never spoke about his family, even when he asked Caroline about hers. She knew he lived alone. So this woman was what – a relative? A friend? Caroline gazed at the house for a few moments before she realised the policeman was staring right back at her. She